SAN DIEGO, CA — The Mexico Gourmet Festival – premiering Saturday, June 1 from 5-9PM at the Embarcadero Marina Park South on San Diego Bay – may be the most unique Mexican culinary festival ever to be held here. There’s already an annual festival that celebrates Latin cuisine, in general, and a number of events and special dinners that highlight the cuisine of nearby Baja California. But this may be the first San Diego culinary festival to showcase the flavors, colors and sounds from the various regions of Mexico, all in one place.

Photo: Mexico Gourmet Festival.

Popularity of regional Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine has become the sweetheart of global gourmands over the past decade. As a larger variety of regional Mexican cuisine makes the migration north to the US, astute diners are beginning to realize that “Mexican food” consists of much more than California burritos, chimichangas and Northern Mexican dishes such as burritos and enchiladas. Think moles from Oaxaca. Pibil from the Yucatán. A dizzying array of tamales from Michoacán. The rise of Modern Mexican cuisine from Mexico City.

Photo: Mexico Gourmet Festival.

Mexico’s traditional favorites. In your backyard.

These regional cuisines and others will be prepared and available for sampling at the Mexico Gourmet Festival. As will award-wining wines from Baja California’s five wine valleys and a variety of Mexican spirits, such as mezcal and tequila. Guests will have the chance to discover the hidden flavors of Mexican dishes with unlimited tastings from prominent chefs and restaurants from both sides of the California-Mexico border.

Celebrity chefs, such as Martin San Roman, will offer their takes on authentic Mexican cuisine.

Attractions include:

Chefs from San Diego and five regions of Mexico competing in a culinary competition to make the dish that best represents the delicious flavors of Mexico.

Tickets

Tickets for the Mexico Gourmet Festival are on sale for Early Bird prices through March 31st at $39.50/each if you buy two, and up to $95/each for VIP tickets if you buy two. VIP tickets include a private lounge area near the stage as well as deluxe drinks and special gourmet dishes crafted by our invited Celebrity Chefs. Tickets will also be on sale the day of the event at $70/each for General Admission and up to $200/each for VIP. So those who plan ahead can enjoy substantial cost savings

The event is 21 and over, so why not hire a sitter, catch an Uber and enjoy the night out with a friend who also loves Mexican cuisine? Look for A Gringo in Mexico there as I’ll surely be sampling a little from each participating restaurant, winery, craft brewer and distillers of agave spirits. Provecho!

FCC Disclaimer: A Gringo in Mexico was offered a pair of complementary tickets in exchange for coverage of this event on our blog. No other compensation was received for this article and the author’s opinions remain his own. Given the variety of Mexico’s regional cuisines on offer, the availability of fine Mexican wines, beers and spirits, the talented lineup of some of this blog’s best amigos and the value of admission, we would have happily purchased tickets to this event, otherwise.

About A Gringo in Mexico

San Diego-based lifestyle writer W. Scott Koenig is founder of the blog AGringoInMexico.com, author of the book 7 Days in The Valle: Baja California’s Wine Country Cuisine and writes columns for online and print media. Scott is the Food Expert for Baja California at XtremeFoodies.tv, an international culinary site curated by over 275 experts.